Door for dumping-cars.



Patented May I3, 1902.

B. V. SAGE. DOOR FOR DUMPING CABS.

INVENTOR. Ralph Visage 74414 AT7ZVEK t a e t e e (Application filed Dec. 11, 1901.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES,

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KHZ NORRIS PETERs co. PkOTD LlTHO.. WASHINGTON, n c.

Patented May l3, I902.

R. V. SAGE. DOOR FOR DUMPIN G CARS.

(Application filed Dec. 11, 1901.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT Gr mes.

RALPH V. SAGE, OF WESTMONT, PENNSYLVANIA.

DOOR FOR DUMPlNG-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 699,820, dated May 13, 1902.

' Application filed Decembcrll, 1901. Serial N0. 85,450. (No model.)

To (oZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH V. SAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of \Vestmont, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Doors for Dumping-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper tains to makeand use the same.

My invent-ion consists of various improved constructions and arrangements of doors and their operating mechanism for dumping-cars adapted to discharge a load of minerals or similar materials by gravity after opening the doors, which are located in the lower portions of the car.

Certain of the objects of my invention are to provide a form of door with connections and operating mechanism such that the bottom of the car or hopper may be very close to the top of the railway-rails, by means of which arrangement the center of gravity of the car and its lading is lowered, thus keep-- ing it in more stable equilibrium than if the center of gravity were higher, in addition to which this construction also enables me to provide a car of larger capacity within a reasonable limit of height. My arrangement of the doors and operating mechanism is such that the lower portions thereof may be very close to the rails, as the doors are so hung that when open they will not drag on the ground or come in contact with obstructions between the tracks.

Another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement such that when the cargo of the car is discharged it will not interfere with nor be obstructed by the door-operating mechanism; and it is a further object of my invention to provide doors and operating mechanism therefor that are of simple and economical construction and easy inoperation.

For the sake of simplicity in the description and drawings I have shown my improved doors and mechanism therefor in connection with what is known as a self-clearing hopper-car; but these doors can be applied to gondola or other cars also, as may be readily understood.

l Having thus given'a general description of certain features of my invention, I will now, in order to make my invention more clear, refer to the annexed two sheets of drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which like numbers refer to like parts.

In Figure 1 the left-hand portion is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation taken between the center sills and the car sides, while the right-hand portion of this drawing is an exterior side elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation on the line A A of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional elevation taken on the line B B of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the various characters of reference upon the drawings, 1 represents the flat portions of the doors, shown in this case as of rectangular form, said flat portions being stiffened and reinforced on their lower sides by the members 2 at their ends and by the members 5 at the sides. The two adjacent doors on each side of the transverse center line are secured together in pairs by connecting members 3, shown as angles, securedto the flat portions of the doors and to the framework 2 by the connections 4, which latter are also shown as angles.

The pair of adjoining doors is supported by an intermediate swinging link 6, pivoted by the hinge 8 to the connecting member 3, the upper end of said swinging link being mounted on the shaft or pin 7, which in turn is supported by the center sills or car-frame, as indicated, and the outer sides of the doors are supported by the outer-swinging links 9, which are provided with the pivots 10 and 11, as shown.

The movement of each pair of doors is offected by means of a flexible member 12, shown as a sprocket-chain attached to the connecting member 3 by means of an eye or pivot 13, said chain being provided with an idler-pulley 14, mounted on the shaft 1 5, supported in bearings 16, which are attached to the center sills or framework of the car. The chain 12 passes over and engages with the sprocket-wheel 17, mounted on the windingshaft 18, said winding-shaft being provided with a square end adapted to receive a crank or wrench, in addition to which it also has a ratchet-wheel 19 and means for locking and said crank-lever.

securing the same in position by means of the pawl and the pawl-lock 21. The center sills of the car are shown in this case as composed of channels 22, which also act as supports for the operating mechanism of the doors, and upon reference to the drawings it may be seen that said operating and locking mechanism is located in an open space between and below the center sills in such a way as to be well protected, free for use at all times, and not obstructed by the car-lading in any manner.

23 represents the side channels of the carbody, which also serve as supports for the outer swinging links 9.

24 represents transverse members, shown as channels, framed between the center sills and the side channels.

25 is a transverse member, shown as a channel, secured to the inner sides of the hoppers and located in the open' space be tween them.

26 represents locking-jaws for further securing the doors in closed position inaddi tion to the locking arrangement in connection with the ratchet-wheel before mentioned. 27 is a pin or pivot upon which said locking-jaws are hinged.

28 is a support for the pin 27 of the locking-jaws. 29 represents links for operating said jaws. 30 is an eye connecting said links with the crank-lever 31. 32 is a pivot for 33 is a rod for manipulating said crank-lever by means of the chain provided with the ring 35, as shown, which latter is located in a convenient position at the side of the car, and 34 is a support and guide for the rod 33.

36 is the car-body, and 37 indicates the truck, which may be of any usual form.

It will be noted that I arrange the doors to swing 'upon the links, as shown, in such a manner that they do not materially reduce the clearance between the bottom of the carbody and the ground or track, and as the doors are swung open they become inclined in such a way that any material which might lodge upon them will roll off, together with the bulk of the load as it is being discharged.

In order to make doubly sure that the doors will remain closed during the transportation of a load, I provide in addition to the ratchetand-pawlmechanism for the winding-shaft the'locking-jaws 26 and their attachments, as heretofore described, so that there will be no danger of dumping the load, even if the winding-shaft should become unlocked through accident or inadvertence.

When the car is empty, the doors may be closed by turning the winding-shaft in the proper direction, and when the inner edges of the doors strike the inclined surfaces of the locking-jaws 26 they become automatically locked in position, in addition to which the pawl and ratchet for the winding-shaft give further security. The doors may be opened by pulling on the link of the manipulating-chain and turning the windingshaft in the proper direction.

As may be seen on reference to the drawings, the links which support the doors are inclined downwardly toward the transverse center line of the car when the doors are in closed position, and by reason of this arrangement the load' on the doors will assist to open them as soon as they are unlocked. After the doors are thus swung partially open the opening may be completedby turning the winding-shaft and locking it, when the doors occupy the position for fully discharging the load, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1 and at the right-hand side of Fig. 2. After the pawl is released the doors will begin to close because of their own weight by reason of the inclination to the vertical of the swinging rods which support them, and the complete closing can then be accomplished by turning the winding-shaft in the proper direction.

Itshould be noted that each pair of doors may be operated independently of the other pair, which is an advantage in case'it is desired to discharge a portion of the load or to deliver the bulk of the load in one place.

Although I have shown and described the flexible member 12 foroperating the doors as a sprocket-chain, I do not limit myself to this specific form, as I may use an ordinary link chain, in which case the sprocket-wheel 17 would be replaced by a wheel provided with suitable indentations and projections to register with the links of the ordinary chain, or I may use a wire rope operated by a pulley provided with the usual V-shaped groove, and although I have shown the adjacent doors secured together by a connecting member I may make these two doors in one piece by extending the flat portion 1 and the end stiffeners 5 across the intermediate opening, as may be readily understood.

Although I have shown certain of my improvements in considerable detail, I do not limit myself to the exact particulars of the construction,arrangements, or sections shown and described, but may use such substitutions, modifications, or equivalents thereof as are embraced Within the scope of my invention and as pointed out in the claims.

Having thus given a description of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In ahopper-car, a door mounted on swinging links, an endless flexible member secured to said door, and means for operating the same to open and close the door aforesaid.

2. In a hopper-car, a pair of adjacent doors mounted on swinginglinks,a connectingmember secured to each of said doors, an endless flexible member attached to said connecting member intermediate of said doors,aud means for operating the same.

3. In a hopper-car, a pair of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member socured to each of said doors, an endless flexible IIO member attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, a winding-shaft and pulley for operating said flexible member for the purpose of opening and closing said doors.

4. In a hopper-car, a pair of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member secured to each of said doors, an endless flexible member attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idler-pulley mounted above said doors, and a windingshaft for operating said flexible member to open and close the doors aforesaid.

5. In a hopper-car, a pair of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member secured to each of said doors, an endless flexible member attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idler-pulley mounted above said doors, an operating-pulley mounted on a winding-shaft, and means for locking said winding-shaft.

6. In a hopper-car, provided with center sills, a pair of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member secured to each of said pair of doors, an endless flexible member secured to said connecting member intermediate of said doors, means for operating said flexible member comprising an idler-pulley, an operating-pulley and a winding-shaft, said operating mechanism being located in an open space between and below the center sills of the car.

7. In a hopper-car, a pair of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member secured to each of said doors, an endless flexible member attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idlerpulley mounted on the car-frame above said doors, an operating pulley mounted on a winding-shaft provided with a ratchet, a pawl and a pawl-lock.

8. In a hopper-car, a pair of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member secured to each of said doors, a sprocket-chain attached to the connecting member intermediate of said doors, an idler-pulley mounted on the car-frame above said doors, a sprocketwheel and winding-shaft for opening and clos in g the doors by means of the chain aforesaid.

9. In a hopper-car, a pair of doors, swinging links pivoted to said doors and to the carframe, a connecting member attached to each of said doors, a sprocket-chain attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idler-pulley mounted on the carframe above said doors, a sprocket-wheel and winding-shaft therefor, said winding-shaft being provided with a ratchet, pawl and pawllock.

10. A car provided with a pair or" hoppers extending below the framethereof, said hop: pers having horizontal openings at their lower ends, apair of doors for said hoppers, swinging links pivoted to said doors and to the carframework, a connecting member secured to each of the pair of adjacent doors, an endless flexible member attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, and means for operating said flexiblemember.

11. A car provided with apairofhoppers extending below the frame thereoflsaid hoppers having horizontal openings at theirlower ends, a pair of doors for said hoppers, swing ing links pivoted to said doors and to the car,- framework, a connecting member secured to each of said pair of adjacent doors, an endless flexible member attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idlerpulley mounted above the pair of doors, a sprocket-wheel and winding-shaft for operating said flexible member to open and close the doors aforesaid.

12. In a hopper-car, a pair of doors mounted on outer and intermediate swinging links, a connecting member secured to each door of said pair, each door being composed of a flat body portion provided with side and end stiffening members attached thereto.

13. In a dumping-car, a pair of hoppers, one of which is located on each side of the center sill and extends below the car-frame, said hoppers having horizontal openings at their lower ends, a pair of doors for said hoppers, swinging links pivoted to said doors and to the car-frame, a connecting member socured to each of said pair of doors, an endless flexible member attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, said flexible member being located in the open space between and below said car-sills, and means for operating said flexible member to open and close the doors aforesaid.

14:. In a hopper-car, two pairs of doors, a

connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, an endless flexible member attached to each of said connecting members intermediate of the doors, and means for operating said flexible member, so that each of the two pairs of doors may be opened and closed independently of the other pair.

15. In a hoppercar, two pairs of doors mounted on swinging links,a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair,- a separate continuous chain attached to each of said connecting members intermediate of the doors, and means for operating said chain so that each of the two pairs of doors may be opened and closed independently of the other pair.

16. In a dumping-car, two pairs of doors mounted on swinging links,a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a separate continuous chain attached to each of said connecting members intermediate of the doors, an idler-pulley mounted above each pair of doors, a sprocket-wheel mounted on a winding-shaft supported by the car-framing and means for operating the same.

17. In a dumping-car provided with a pair of center sills, two pairs of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a separate continuous operating-chain for each pair of ported by the center sills, a sprocket-wheel for each chain located between the center sills and mountedvon a winding-shaft extending,

to the car side, and means for operating and locking said winding-shaft.

18. In a dumping-car provided with a pair of center sills, two pairs of doors mounted on swinging links, a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a separate continuous operating-chain for each pair of doors attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idler-pulley mounted above each pair of doors, a sprocket-wheel for each chain, said idler-pulleys and sprocketwheels being mounted between said center sills, a winding-shaft for said sprocket-wheel extending to the side of the car, a ratchetwheel mounted on said winding-shaft and a pawl and lock for cooperating with said ratchet-wheel.

19. In a dumping-car provided with a pair of center sills spaced apart, a pair of doors, a connecting member secured to each of said doors, swinging links pivoted to the outer ends of said doors and to the car-framing, and a middle swinging link pivoted to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, the upper pivot of said middle link being mounted between the center sills aforesaid.

20. In a dumping-car provided with a pair of center sills, two pairs of doors mounted on swinging links, aconnecting membersecured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a separate continuous operating-chain for each pair of doors attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idler-pulley mounted above each pair of doors, a sprocketwheel for each chain, said idler-pulleys and sprocket-Wheels being mounted between said center sills, a winding-shaft for each sprocketwheel extending from said center sills to the side of the car, a ratchet-wheel mounted on each Winding-shaft, a pawl and lock mounted on the car side for cooperating with each ratchet-Wheel, and a wrench or crank for operating each of the winding-shafts aforesaid.

21. In a dumping-car provided With a pair of center sills spaced apart, a pair of doors, horizontalwhen in closed position a connecting member secured to each of said doors, two swinging links pivoted to each of the outer ends of said doors and to the car-framing, a middle swinging link pivoted to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, the upper pivot of said middle link being mounted between the center sills aforesaid; the swinging links nearest the transverse center line of the car being longer than those most distant from it whereby the doors when opened assume an inclined position.

22. In a dumping-car provided with a pair of center sills, two pairs of doors, a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a central supporting swinging link pivoted to each of said connecting members intermediate of the doors, the upper end of said middle swinging link being mounted on a shaft supported by. the center sills aforesaid, swinging links pivoted to the outer ends of said doors and to the car-frame, a separate continuous operating-chain attached to said connecting member intermediate of said doors, an idler-pulley mounted on a shaftsupported by and between said center sills, a sprocket-wheel also mounted between said center sills on a winding-shaft extending to the car sides, and means for operating and locking said winding-shaft.

23. In a dumping-car provided with oppositely-swinging doors mounted on vibratory links, a pair of locking-jaws pivoted to the car-framing between the inner edges of said doors, and means for operating said lockingjaws.

24:. In a dumping-car provided with two pairs of oppositely-swinging doors, a stifiening and reinforcing member attached to the inner edges of each of said pairs of doors, a pair of locking-jaws pivoted between the pairs of doors, said locking-jaws being provided with inclined and vertical surfaces for automatically engaging with and securing said doors in closed position by cooperating with the stiffening and reinforcing members aforesaid.

25. In a dumping-car provided with oppositely-swinging doors, a pair of locking-jaws mounted on a pin secured intermediate of said doors, said locking-jaws being provided with suitable surfaces for automatically engaging and locking the doors aforesaid, and means for lifting and disengaging said locking-jaws. I

26. In a dumping-car provided with a pair of oppositely-swinging doors, a pair of locking-jaws mounted on a pin secured intermediate of said doors, said locking-jaws being provided with suitable surfaces for automatically engaging with and securing said doors in closed position; link, crank and chain connections for lifting and disengaging said locking-jaws.

27. In a dumping-car provided with two pairs of oppositely-swinging doors mounted on vibratory links, a stiffening and reinforcing member attached to the inner edges of each pair of doors, a pair of lockingjaws mounted between the pairs of oppositelyswinging doors, said locking-jaws being provided with suitable surfaces for engaging with the stiffening and reinforcing member aforesaid, and means for lifting and disengaging said locking-jaws.

28. In a dumping-car provided with two pairs of oppositely-swinging doors mounted on vibratory links, a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a separate continuous operating-chain for each pair of doors attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, means for operating said chain, a stiffening and reinforcing member secured to the inner edges of said doors, a pair of locking-jaws mounted between said pairs of doors and provided with suitable surfaces for engaging with and securing said doors by means of the stilfening member aforesaid, and means for lifting and disengaging said locking-jaws.

29. In a dumping-car, two pairs of oppositely-swinging doors mounted on vibratory links, a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a separate continuous operating-chain for each pair of doors attached to said connecting member intermediate of the doors, an idler-pulley mounted above each pair of doors, a sprocket-wheel for each chain, a winding-shaft for each sprocket-wheel extending to the side of'the car, means for operating and locking said winding-shafts, a pair of locking-jaws pivoted' intermediate of the pairs of doors and provided with suitable surfaces for engaging and securing said doors, and means for liftiug and disengaging said locking-jaws.

30. In a hopper-car provided with a pair of center sills spaced apart, two pairs of oppositely-swinging doors mounted on vibratory links, a connecting member secured to the adjacent doors of each pair, a separate contin uous operating-chain attached to each connecting member intermediate of the doors,

an idler-pulley mounted'above each pair of RALHI v. SAGE.

Witnesses:

J. R. WEMLINGER, HERBERT LUEBBERT. 

